AND now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have
been making, into the hands of my son Moroni, behold, I have witnessed
almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ,
that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it
supposeth me that he will witness the entire destruction of my
people. But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may
write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ,
that perhaps some day it may profit them.

3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I
have written: for after that I had made an abridgment from the
plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of which
Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered
into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this
small account of the Prophets, from Jacob, down to the reign of
this king Benjamin; and also, many of the words of Nephi.

4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because
of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing
that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that
as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this
day, has been fulfilled; and as many as go beyond this day, must
surely come to pass;

5 wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon
them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates
of Nephi; and I cannot write a hundredth part of the things of
my people.

6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain
these prophecyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder
of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will
be choice unto my brethren.

7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth
me, according to the workings of the spirit of the Lord which
is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth
all things which is to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do
according to his will.

8 And my prayer to God, is concerning my brethren, that they
may once again come to the knowledge of God; yea, the redemption
of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record,
which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according
to the knowledge and the understanding which God hath given me.

10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered
up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them
and put them with the other plates, which contained records which
had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation,
until the days of king Benjamin;

11 and they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation
to generation, until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon,
pray to God that they may be preserved, from this time hence forth.
And I know that they will be preserved: for there are great things
written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren,
shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word
of God which is written.

12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin: He had somewhat
contentions among his own people.

13 And it came to pass also, that the armies of the Lamanites
came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people.
But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he
did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of
his own arm, with the sword of Laban;

14 and in the strength of the Lord they did contend against
their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites.
And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites,
until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.

15 And it came to pass that after there had been false
Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according
to their crimes;

16 and after there had been false prophets, and false preachers,
and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished
according to their crimes; and after there having been much contentions
and many dissentions, away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came
to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the Holy Prophets
which were among his people:

17 for behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign
over his people in righteousness. And there were many holy men
in the land; and they did speak the word of God, with power and
with authority; and they did use much sharpness, because of the
stiffneckedness of the people;

18 wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring
with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul,
and also the prophets, wherefore, they did once more establish
peace in the land.